JM Ent. Begins Animating The Toy Warrior

Seoul, Korea and Glendale, Calif.-based production and distribution company JM Ent. has begun production on its first 2D/3D animated feature film The Toy Warrior. Negotiations are underway for worldwide theatrical distribution.

The Toy Warrior takes place in The Land of Toys, ruled by the popular doll, Princess Sherbert. when a mysterious dark force threatens the kingdom, it’s up to a cocky, trouble-making boy from the real world to save the day.

One of the first U.S.-Korean co-productions, The Toy Warrior was scripted by TV animation, comic book and interactive writer Brian Swenlin, whose credits include Kim Possible, X-MEN: Evolution, Timon & Pumba and Pinky and the Brain.

JM Ent. president Ji-Moon Lim, and Seoul Movie president Chang-Rok Jun are exec. producing. Lim was the former supervisor of domestic & overseas arketing for Seoul Movie Inc.

The film’s director, Kyungwon Lim, has had a long-standing relationship with Warner Bros., having supervised overseas direction and production for the Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries series, the animated Batman Beyond series, the new WB’s show, Static Shock, and Tom & Jerry direct-to-videos.

The feature will be scored by film and television veteran Michael Tavera, whose credits include sequels to both The Land Before Time and An American Tail, the Casper animated series and many projects for Disney including Cinderella 2, Mr. Magoo and House Of Mouse. He has also lent his talents to Warner Bros.’ animated TV series iMucha Lucha!, Cartoon Network’s Time Squad, Dreamworks’ Toonsylvania, DIC’s Super Mario Brothers and Mike Young’s Butt Ugly Martians.

The voiceover cast includes Annie Award winner Tara Charendoff, (Batman, Rugrats, The PowerPuff Girls, Sabrina, X-Men), Keith Szarabajka (The WildThornberrys, Max Steel, Heavy Gear) and Gabrielle Carteris, who is best known for her role in Beverly Hills 90210.

The feature film will run 89 minutes and combine 2D and 3D animation using Toonz, 3ds max and Maya.